My Top 5 {Central Virginia Photographer}

So I met G at Help Portrait earlier this month. He’s a lighting wizard and fun guy! I love how small Charlottesville is sometimes because once I posted on Facebook with the group photo one of my friends who moved to Hawaii in December immediately asked if I knew him! I just really love that about Charlottesville!

I explored his website recently and learned he’s doing The Favorite Five Project — and asking any photographer to post about their own Favorite 5! I thought it would be fun to try to narrow it down. I didn’t do it alone, quite honestly. I had my son help me once I had it narrowed down to about 15 or 20.

Here’s my (our) favorites from this year.

1. Cousins

I love this photo. It’s four cousins playing in the ocean in North Carolina after our “official” photo shoot. I love that they’re clothed and trying to push each other into the water. They did not know I was taking photos and you can just tell how much fun they’re having! To me it says summer vacation!

2. What’s Up?

Earlier in the year I spent days stalking cardinals, trying to get a decent photo of one. All of a sudden they started to come around more and perhaps felt a little more comfortable with me because they will pose for me now. I love that you can see his feet and the bokeh behind him. My son loves how he’s tilting his head to the side as if to say “What’s up?”

3. Women Build

This is a wonderful photojournalism shot in my humble opinion. I was taking photos of Charlottesville Habitat for Humanity Women Build for my magazine and this photo “happened.” I probably could not have staged a better photo, quite honestly. The pink tool belt, the pretty tools and the Habitat logo on the belt. Wow. It doesn’t get better than that when it comes to telling a story through a photo.

4. Little Buck

There is one spot in Charlottesville where I’ve discovered deer feeding every evening–and they don’t seem to be scared of us! I’m very careful to stay back because I don’t want them to be too comfortable around humans, but this little guy certainly has no fear. I love the colors–it was during the “golden hour” of the day and you see it in the background’s bokeh. I love how his eye is so large and you can see the antlers budding.

5. Silly Squirrel

This photo just makes me laugh. My immediate thought was “how sad, that squirrel cannot read” … a friend’s comment was “he’s the enforcer.” Either way it’s just cute, silly photo that even made my 11-year-old boy giggle! To me that’s the best reason to consider it among my best!

I can’t wait to see the others’ best photos, which I am sure will blow mine out of the water, but I’ve learned so much in the past 12 months! I cannot wait until 2012 when I not only learn a ton more, but officially launch my photography business. Happy 2012 everyone!